


Call it Caffeine

by MarsHunter06



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: F/M, also it was for Christmas, because we definitely needed another coffee shop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 05:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17359487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarsHunter06/pseuds/MarsHunter06
Summary: From the moment Steve saw her in one of his pictures, he knew she was special. Basically an AU where Steve is a photographer and Nat is a dancer/part time barista.





	Call it Caffeine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TeyrianTimelord](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeyrianTimelord/gifts).



> Starting off 2019 right with a romanogers fic. My gift to @teyriantimelord10 (on Tumblr) for romanogers secret santa (:

It was fall when he first noticed her— fitting, as the season consisted of oranges, yellows, and fiery reds. Steve is a photographer and he was booked to take engagement pictures in Central Park for a happy couple. He spent the whole day taking pictures of them along with props and outfit changes. He must have taken over 500 photos. Now he was sitting at his desk looking through all of his pictures to see which ones would make the cut. He clicks through them, dismissing ones he deems unfit. This continues for about a hundred photos before he spots one that catches him off guard. There were a lot of people passing by that day so of course some made it into the background— but this one was different. The person in the background somehow manages to outshine the happy couple. Steve wasn’t sure what it was about her; maybe it was her fiery red hair, or her brilliant smile, or the way her green eyes seemed as if they were looking right at the camera— right at him. He clicks to the next picture to see if she was in the background again, but she was gone. Not a single trace in the picture. He quickly clicks through the rest of the photos to see if she would appear in any of them; but no such luck. He only managed to capture her in that one shot.

 

His phone buzzes, snapping him out of his thoughts. It’s a text message from his client asking how the photos turned out. He replies and immediately goes back to sorting through the pictures, forgetting about the red haired stranger.

 

A few weeks later, Steve is back in Central Park after meeting with a new client. It was about three in the afternoon and he could really use a pick-me-up. Across the street was a coffee shop that he has never been to before, so he decides to give it a try. He enters the small shop intending on ordering an americano, but as soon as he sees the person at the counter, his words fail. Standing right in front of him was the girl from his picture.

 

“Hello? Um… can I take your order?”

 

“I… um…”

 

“Why don’t you take a look at the menu?”

 

He manages to nod his head, but he doesn’t look up at the board with all the drinks. He’s still awestruck looking at her. Normally she would be creeped out, but this guy looked harmless, plus, he was cute.

 

“Hey.”

 

He makes eye contact with the red haired beauty. He looks down at her name tag and learns that her name is Natasha.

 

“I can see that you’re having a tough time deciding, why don’t you try our special for today?”

 

He just nods his head once more while he hands her the money for the drink, plus a tip. He picks the table farthest away from the counter to try and calm himself. What was wrong with him? He was acting like an idiot. He buries his face into his hands and sighs. That was a terrible first impression, he wished he could start over; though he’s not sure he could do any better.

 

A few minutes later, Natasha brings his coffee and sets it down on the table. She smiles at him.

 

“Alright, Mr. Camera Guy, here’s a caramel cold brew. Let me know if you don’t like it, we can always change it for something else.”

 

She leaves after placing the drink in front of him. He stares at it for a moment before taking a sip. He doesn’t normally drink iced coffee, but he finds that it wasn’t that bad. In fact, he kind of enjoyed it. He slowly finishes the cold brew as the shop continues to fill with people. He watches as Natasha interacts with all the customers with a smile. They all seemed to love her; she was really good at her job.

 

Ever since accidentally stumbling across the coffee shop and meeting Natasha, Steve ends up visiting a few times a week. Some would say he had a caffeine addiction, but he knew it wasn’t coffee he was yearning for. With every visit, Natasha would greet him with a smile and offer him the special. He’s never once gotten his americano, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Apparently Natasha was the one who got to decide the special everyday, so Steve was more than happy to accept whatever she was offering.

 

They never really talked whenever the handsome stranger came in. She’s never even learned his name. He was just ‘the camera guy’. She assumes he’s a photographer since the camera has never left his side in all the times she’s seen him here. She likes to think she knows why he’s really here, but he never makes a move. He can barely ask for his order at the counter. Still, she finds that she’s intrigued— though her coworkers would agree it was something more. They might be right, but she may never find out. All he seems to focus on are his damn pictures. Whether it’s looking through them in the camera or editing them on his laptop. Maybe he really is just here to work?

 

It’s just after thanksgiving when her camera guy does the unexpected, he walks in  _ without _ his camera. He only has a sketchbook in his hands. He even manages to place his order without stumbling through his words. It’s about time.

 

When Natasha brings him his hazelnut latte at his usual table, she couldn’t help but finally ask for his name.

 

“So, I can’t call you Mr. Camera Guy anymore since you don’t seem to have your camera…”

 

He smiles at that and Natasha swears her heart started beating faster. What was wrong with her?

 

“It’s Steve, Steve Rogers. It’s nice to officially meet you, Natasha.”

 

“Steve, huh? Well, it’s a relief that I finally know your name. It was pretty unfair that you knew mine all this time.”

 

He chuckles at that, “sorry, if I had known, I would’ve worn a name tag too.”

 

“That would’ve been helpful.”

 

She smiles at him and he swears his heart started beating faster. He could spend forever watching her smile. She goes back to the counter while he works on his drawing and his drink.

 

Another week passes before Steve comes back to the coffee shop. Natasha was starting to worry about him, but on the third of December, her camera guy appears. Though, she should stop calling him that since he didn’t bring the camera. No, he had his sketchbook again. He walks over to the counter with a smile and orders the special from Natasha. A few moments later, she walks over with his peppermint mocha.

 

“Alright, Steve, I gotta ask, what happened to your camera?”

 

“Nothing happened to it. I’ve just been in more of a sketching mood lately.”

 

“I thought it broke or something. That’s why you didn’t come in.”

 

“No, nothing like that. Just a different kind of inspiration you know?”

 

“I do, actually; I’m a dancer. Well, studying to be one.”

 

“Wow, what do you do?”

 

“Ballet, at Juilliard.”

 

“You must be amazing. I would love to see you dance sometime. I mean, if that’s okay with you?”

 

“I think I would like that, Steve.”

 

As it turns out, Natasha had a recital on Christmas Eve. She invites Steve to go and see her as the lead, which he happily accepts.

 

Keeping in theme, they were performing the Nutcracker. He watches as she dances across the stage; he becomes enchanted with her movements. She’s a phenomenal dancer. She captures the audience's attention from the moment she appears. It was clear that she was never meant to be in the background.

 

After the performance is over, Steve waits for Natasha outside. After she says her goodbyes and wishes the cast and crew a happy holiday, she finds the man she had been searching for through the crowds. He was standing there with a bouquet of roses and a smile. 

 

“Hey, stranger, how was the show?”

 

“You were amazing, Nat! You have a lot of talent!”

 

“You’re gonna make me blush. Thank you for the roses, Steve.”

 

“I have something else for you.”

 

“I thought we agreed, no presents.”

 

“Yeah, but I wanted to give this to you a long time ago. I think it’s finally finished.”

 

He hands her an envelope and inside was a drawing of her smiling. She remembers that day from the outfit. It was when she first learned his name.

 

“Steve, this— this is amazing! And you said  _ I _ was talented. Look at you!”

 

“It took me a long time to get it just right. I’m just glad you like it.”

 

“I love it! Really, I do.”

 

“I would like to draw you dancing one day.”

 

“Maybe after the new year. For now, we have Christmas to celebrate.”

 

Flash forward one year and they’re taking on the world together. It’s now Christmas time again. Their apartment is decorated with a tree and stockings above the fireplace. Throughout the space, there’s pictures in frames scattered all around of the happy couple. There is a painting of Natasha in her ballerina attire with her head down, eyes closed, and a smile on her face, as she holds first position. Venture further into the apartment to find Steve and Natasha laughing as they finish preparing Christmas dinner. They’re both wearing ugly sweaters; ‘tis the season after all. Just before they make it out of the kitchen area, Steve stops and points up— right above the two hung a mistletoe. She smiles as she leans up to kiss him; someone really should’ve been there to take a picture… 

 

A Merry Christmas indeed.


End file.
